Hey milspouse photographer! I’m so excited to share another location guide by Melissa Sheridan with you! (Check out her Dayton, OH spotlight here.) In this Montgomery, AL Photography Spotlight, Melissa is sharing what she learned about running her business during her family’s assignment at Maxwell AFB. If you’re headed that way, I hope this helps with your transition.

What are your top three favorite locations for sessions? Briefly share about each.

Blount Cultural Park

I did the majority of my sessions here because it’s a free spot with lots of open space. Plus, it looked great year round. There is an iconic footbridge, ponds, open fields and the classic Southern willow trees by the water.

Jackson Lake Island

This was a super fun place to shoot. It’s a very small island that the film Big Fish by Tim Burton was filmed on. They created a whole fake town movie set that is still there today. There are wild goats on the island that are not afraid of strangers and come right up to you. There is a fee associated with entering the island ($5 a person), but it’s worth it to go see the island and have a nice private spot for photos.

River Road on Maxwell AFB

This was a hidden gem that I used a lot with clients who also lived on base. There is an access road that goes along the Alabama River that goes right near base. There was hardly ever anyone on it, so it was a great private location. You can get shots of the river, there is a small fishing dock, as well as the dirt road that you could stand on without much car traffic. This area is a bit past the old golf course that is not used anymore and past the prison (yes, there was a prison on base). I tended to stick to these same locations as well as in people’s homes for newborn sessions.

This page on the Montgomery website lists all the parks in the area for some other good location ideas.

Are there any particularly busy seasons for photographers in this area? Any events an incoming photographer should know about?

The work can be very seasonal due to the extreme heat of the summer, as well as most people PCSing in summer. There are not too many events. If photographing on/near base, just look for events going on near base that may create road closures. There was an airshow at Maxwell while I was there, so I had to reschedule a session because I couldn’t actually get off the installation from my house!

What should an incoming photographer know about permits in this area?

I did not run into needing permits for where I was shooting. There is most likely a permit needed to shoot at the Capital building, but I never had a session there. In the city limits of Montgomery, if you are on streets/in urban areas, you need to submit a special use permit to have a session if it is 5 or more people (for $25). You can find that info here. There are plenty of great places in the area that do not require any fees though.

What is the biggest piece of advice you’d give to an incoming photographer?

There are very few family photographers (and especially newborn photographers) in the area. I was able to capture clients very quickly due to this. Most photographers in the state seem to be located near the coast and do primarily weddings or in Birmingham or farther north. I lived on base when I was here and it was easy to get clients from the base population. Maxwell is a training base for one and two year school tours. Because of this, the base population almost entirely moves away every summer. I think that’s why there is a lack of family photographers among the military community there. It was a great way to get clients that did not already have an established photographer. Though some people were sad to hear I was only going to be there one year!

If you are only going to Maxwell for a year or two, I definitely recommend getting involved in base activities. My kids did cub scouts on base (really great troop!) and went to the school on base. Those two communities really helped us feel connected very quickly, despite having to leave the area shortly after moving there.

Any other local expertise you’d like to share?

It is HOT in the summer. Unless you live in Florida or Texas already, you have no idea. The humidity is unreal. We moved there in July and, regrettably, booked my first session outdoors at the end of July. It was the sweatiest session of my life! I do not recommend that. If you can, urge clients to book as early in the morning as lighting allows or opt for a different season.

Where can other milspouse photographers connect with you?

Website: www.melissasheridanphotography.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/melissasheridanphotography

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Are you a milspouse photographer interested in contributing? I’d love to have your insight! Please send me an email at erin@erinthompsonphoto.com and I’ll be in touch with the details!

If you enjoyed this Montgomery, AL photography spotlight, be sure to check out other featured location guides and tips for moving your business!